Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8 – Salwa Road Site – 3rd Prize Winners: Penghui Zhang, Hengxuan He and Telmen Bayasgalan

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd prize winners of our Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8 competition - Salwa Road Site – Penghui Zhang, Hengxuan He and Telmen Bayasgalan from United States!

Penghui Zhang, Hengxuan He and Telmen Bayasgalan from United States

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

Penghui (Henry), Telman, and Hengxuan (Henshall) currently work as architectural and interior designers in Boston, Chicago, and Dubai. 

Penghui (Henry) Zhang: Henry is an architectural and interior designer at Elkus Manfredi Architects in Boston and previously worked at Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) in New York City. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and has an interior design background from Pratt Institute. His diverse portfolio encompasses residential, workspace, hospitality, and architectural illustration.

Telmen Bayasgalan: Telmen is an architectural designer at FGP Atelier in Chicago. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia. His professional focus includes architectural design, computational design, visualization, and urban development, with a particular interest in the relationship between design and real estate development.

Hengxuan (Henshall) He: Henshall has been engaged in the interior design industry for years and has participated in many high-end hospitality and residential projects. Henshall holds a master's in interior design from Pratt Institute in New York City and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing. With experience in New York City, Dubai & Shanghai, He brings a diverse vision, international aesthetics, and the ability to build innovative concept designs.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

Penghui (Henry) Zhang: “My work spans multiple scales and phases, from interior fit-outs to architectural façades, building design, and construction administration. I see architecture and interior design not as separate disciplines, but as a continuous process where spatial, material, and architectural decisions inform one another.“ - Henry Zhang 

Telmen Bayasgalan: His current work focuses on master planning and real estate development, with experience across residential, mixed-use, and urban-scale projects. 

Hengxuan (Henshall) He: Henshall is a senior interior architect based in Dubai, specializing in high-end hospitality and residential projects across both international and regional markets. 

Before Dubai, he worked in Shenzhen, Shanghai, and New York, gaining experience across diverse cultural and professional contexts. His portfolio includes luxury hotel projects for leading global hospitality brands such as Hilton, Marriott, InterContinental, and Four Seasons. While his primary expertise is interior architecture, he also actively engages with architectural-scale projects to broaden his understanding of building systems, construction, and the relationship between interior spaces and the larger built environment.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Penghui (Henry) Zhang: To me, architecture is a continuous process of creativity, learning, and problem-solving. Beyond client-driven commercial work, architectural design gives me the freedom to explore ideas, experiment with new knowledge, and refresh the way I think. 

Telmen Bayasgalan: I understand architecture as a means of communication between people and our environment; therefore, thoughtful and respectful engagement with the parties involved is essential. 

Hengxuan (Henshall) He: Architecture is about connecting people, space, and culture through thoughtful design. Henshall sees architects as both designers and problem-solvers, creating spaces that are functional, meaningful, and responsive to their social and environmental context.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We participate in the competition to stay informed about the most up-to-date technologies and developments in architecture and to remain actively engaged with the architectural academic community. Although working remotely and not being physically together presented challenges, the experience pushed us to overcome communication barriers, strengthen our collaboration, and develop a more effective way of working together.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture competitions?

First, trust yourself—trust your eyes. If you believe you have created something great, trust that others can see it too. When you struggle with whether to participate, try to focus less on the outcome and more on the process. Don’t you enjoy the moment when you lose yourself in drawing, designing, and creating? That experience of freely exploring your creativity is, to me, the most valuable part of entering a competition.